What You Need To Know About The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act

On April 22nd, after nearly six weeks of delay, the Senate finally passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. This bill will provide harsher penalties for perpetrators of trafficking, hold patrons of human trafficking (also known as “johns”), accountable for their crimes, and identify and treat those harmed by trafficking as victims rather than criminals. The bill will also create a special fund for victims gathered from perpetrators’ fines (rather than taxes).

Although many expected the bill to pass unanimously in March, Senate Democrats found a provision that compelled them to withdraw support. This provision included language from the Hyde Amendment, which decrees that taxpayer dollars may not be used to fund abortions, except in cases proven to be rape, and would …

Ileana Jiménez: Inspiring Feminism Locally and Globally

Ileana Jimenez

Social media as well as blogs and communities like the FBomb have played a key role for young people involved in the feminist movement by giving us a platform to share our thoughts and ideas and allowing us to learn about and discover feminism by scrolling through our social media newsfeeds or browsing the blogosphere. This phenomenon is also becoming more prevalent every day (according to Facebook, #feminism is trending).

However, I came to the movement through a high school feminism class taught by Ileana Jiménez called “Fierce and Fabulous Feminism”. This class has become a rite of passage for many of my peers and me and is the only class I’ve ever taken in which the students agree not only that the class should be two hours …

Sexism and Soccer Balls

The other day my friend asked me if I thought a true feminist can support the World Cup. Until this year, I probably would have immediately answered yes: I just associated the World Cup with a somewhat rarefied joy and excitement. Over the years, I have loved witnessing the passion other countries have for their nation’s team and choosing a team to root for with my family (we usually just hop onto the bandwagon of the favored champions since our country, Peru, has not been in the World Cup since 1982). But this year — maybe because I’m older, maybe because it seems more obvious than ever before — I’ve noticed various sexist dynamics surrounding the World Cup.

On Violence Against Women

An astonishing number of women desperately fear for their lives every day due to the fatal fact that they were born female in a patriarchal society. Violent acts are committed against women all the time in every corner of the world, despite the fact that this is a violation of fundamental human rights.

Violent atrocities like sexual violence, FGM, forced child marriage and female feticide and infanticide (amongst many others) happen to women of all different ethnicities, ages, classes, cultures and sexual orientations all over the world based solely on their gender. It is utterly devastating to think about the fact that a woman in the world today could be attacked, beaten, or otherwise cruelly punished for refusing an arranged marriage, dressing immodestly, being a victim of sexual assault, or …

Saturday Vids: Trade of Innocents

I recently came across a movie that takes on the issue of human trafficking called Trade of Innocents starring Mira Sorvino and Dermot Mulroney. Although it doesn’t look like the film is getting wide distribution, it is available for individual screenings and seems like a perfect film to create an event for a human rights-based or anti-human trafficking club. The film also has other resources available. Check it out:

Trailer

Synopsis:

In the back streets of a tourist town in present-day Southeast Asia, we find a filthy cinder block room; a bed with soiled sheets; a little girl waits for the next man. Alex (Dermot Mulroney), a human trafficking investigator, plays the role of her next customer as he negotiates with the pimp for the use …

How the Media Sells Pimp Culture

"Girls Like Us" by GEMS founder, Rachel Lloyd

Every morning when I take the train, I put my iPod on shuffle and let various thoughts run through my head. But as I think about how tired I am or about the math test I have during first period, I don’t pay attention to the lyrics that are being whispered into my ear by various artists. As the E train pulls up to Roosevelt Avenue, I hear Kanye West talking about a girl who “got an a** that can swallow up a g-string/and up top, uh, two bee stings.” And as I step off the train on Spring Street, I listen to Fergie telling me about how guys love her “lady lumps…spending all your money on me and spending time on …

FBomb Review: “Girls Like Us”

Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd

New book from Rachel Lloyd, “Girls Like Us”, is more than a memoir—it’s a life-changing experience. Lloyd, Founder/Executive Director of Girls Education and Mentoring Network (GEMS), tells the story of the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the United States. She does this by weaving her story in with the stories of people whose lives she has touched, and the genesis of GEMS itself. But the stories alone are not what made this book the best one I have read in a long while—it’s how effortlessly they get to the heart of what choice really means. In short, “Girls Like Us” is where theory and practice, activism and ideology, all sing in perfect harmony.